Implement ERP – the Agile way

ERP Project Management is not similar as managing a large scale IT Project. Because IT project enforces detailed planning, execution of tasks, followed by end–to–end delivery of business functionality. Even though this project methodology faces difficulty when scaled to larger projects, applying it to ERP projects creates further difficulties.

The ERP environment faces constant change and reassessment of organizational processes and technology. The project management methodology used with ERP must provide adaptability and agility to support these evolutionary processes and technologies.

Can enterprise resource planning ever become as flexible as modern business requires? Today ERP applications need to become more responsive to meet changing business requirements. ERP systems are known for their highly integrated nature and proprietary development tools and processes.

The use of agile methodology in the ERP deployment can provide solution for this issue.

Agile Implementations [External Link]

5 Steps to Implement ERP in Agile Way [External Link]

Theories Of ERP

Recently one of our client invited tenders to develop the ERP System for one of the big rating company. The newly appointed CTO wanted a custom made system, which should be tightly integrated with existing applications including Tally, HRMS and other Systems.

But it was very difficult to integrate all the systems at the data level since existing systems were proprietary. The CTO was expecting that the solution provider should study the existing systems at the lower level and build a parallel system for the missing components. He actually wanted to fill the gap which was exists in the current system. But the business was risky. The CTO actually missed few criticle points.

Today ERP Systems have been (mis)understood as a server that integrates all business applications required by various functional entities, but the underlaying principles and disciplines of ERP are not yet very clear. This is the reason, most of the ERP systems either failed or underutilized in India. The fundamental idea that the ERP softwares Such SAP or Dynamics are not ERP but a tool for ERP is not yet understood.

I am looking for a text which can explain me not a tool but ERP concepts with its associated theory.

Journey Begins

When I installed Unix first time in 2002, it took me more than 5 months. Then Linux took me 2 months. Surprisingly Windows NT took me less than 16 days. But Windows 7 took not more than 20 minutes. Interesting, the technology (and my experience) grown too fast.

I am using Windows 7 from last 5 months, and It’s awesome. It is very fast and even invariably fast on developer’s machine like me, where all the services are up and running and all the databases are installed from MySQL to Oracle.

When I installed SAP on my machine, it took me almost more than 6 hours with a quite interactive way. So I am very surprised when Navision installed with in just 20 minutes.  It’s really surprising or may be I am missing something.

Anyways, I have to experience it before commenting anything. But I am sure, I will enjoy this journey.

Learning Microsoft Dynamics

Now days, I am quite dedicated to learn Microsoft Dynamics, not as a platform, but philosophy.

In these days I’m reading some case studies and articles about Navision and I can say that the platform is really powerful… it’s incredible to see how many features the environment has and how a company can have enormous benefits with its adoption.

In fact, I am in favor with Microsoft. This is the only platform who thinks about the usability and application integrity, off course, before Google. This is only platform, where everything is available from Operating System to Database to 3d animation with tight integration. And now it is with complete ERP.

Learning Microsoft Tools is not a big deal always (for me at least), instead user can focus on application philosophy.

During the next few days I’d like to write something about my Navision learning, but for the moment I am very much excited about exploring something new.